Draymond Green Discusses the Offseason, Klay Thompson, Steve Kerr
Many Golden State Warriors players have been in the news this offseason, including Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, David Lee, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala, and even new additions to the roster such as Shaun Livingston and Brandon Rush.
One Warrior who hasn’t been talked about much is Draymond Green. Although he’s not the face of the franchise, Green might have solidified himself as the heartbeat of this Warriors team last season. He could certainly improve his game in a few areas, but his passion, determination, fierce competitiveness, and positive attitude are the reasons why he’s so important to this Warriors team.
Recently, Green discussed the Warriors’ upcoming season with Dime Magazine. In order to prepare for next season, Green explained what he has been working on in the offseason.
"I want to hone in more on my three-point shot. It improved from my freshman from my first year to my second year, but is still not where I want it to be. I want to keep improving on that and that is one of the things I have really, really, really focused on this off-season."
If Green could improve his three-point shooting, he could certainly become the Warriors’ primary stretch four, which the Warriors lacked last season and a role that new head coach Steve Kerr wants to utilize more this upcoming season. Green could earn more minutes in this capacity, which could benefit the Warriors offensively and defensively.
Speaking of Kerr and his coaching philosophies, Green also spoke to Dime about his conversations with Kerr so far and what their relationship is like heading into next season.
"I have had a chance to talk to him and we talk quite a bit now. When he first got the job he reached out to me like the same night or the next night and I think he reached out to everybody. That was a step in the right direction for sure, and he gained a lot of guys’ respect by doing that. We have been in contact since. I went out to Summer League for a few days to see some of the practices, workout, and really see what is going to be going on. Coach Kerr is a great guy. He is a winner and I am trying to take some of those things out of his book and just move in the right direction."
Green was one of former head coach Mark Jackson‘s biggest supporters, but it seems as if Green is on board with the coaching change and is excited to work with Kerr.
Green is also excited to work with Thompson again this upcoming season. Thompson was one of the main pieces involved in the Warriors’ trade rumors for Love, and it was unclear for a while on whether or not Thompson would be shipped to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a potential trade.
Green spoke in a recent KNBR interview about the Love trade rumors and his thoughts on Thompson remaining a Warrior:
"He’s definitely very good, so I was definitely hoping they would keep him. I did talk to Klay during that time, and with him being the centerpiece, obviously you’re going to wonder about it a little more, but I don’t think he was ever at a point where he was nervous or worried about it."
Not every Warriors fans agrees on this topic, but the Warriors, despite missing out on a potential Love trade, still have a chance to make a deep playoff run.
Here’s what Green said on KNBR about if the Warriors have a legitimate chance at contending for a title this season:
"That’s definitely the attitude. I think our last couple of years, we have continued to grow as a team, and guys are getting better and better. I think that’s definitely going to be the expectation for us, and we’re going to look to do whatever we can to make that happen."
Green has become a fan favorite, and fans must appreciate that he’s working hard to improve this offseason, he’s positive about the upcoming season, and he’s just as determined as ever.